Although it is always good to exude patience in the midst of a fantasy season, there is such a thing as being too patient.
For instance, if your league plays a 12-game season and your team is 0-6, 1-5 or 2-4 at the moment, then it might be time to start thinking about making some moves considering only six games remain (in my league’s format; we play 12 games so owners won’t get ripped off by teams that have clinched playoff berths that rest their starters). There is simply not enough time left to sit back and wait for your team to go on a five or six-game winning streak. Now I’m not saying that kind of a run isn’t possible, but it’s just not realistic to think that will happen.
So, what do you do? Well, for starters, you need to gauge what the potential of your team is. If you didn’t draft well and your team is not scoring in the 90 to 100-point range on a consistent basis, then it may be a good time to attempt a trade or hunt the waiver wire for additional help. However, if your team has been scoring in the 90 to 100-point range on a weekly basis and has just been plagued by tough luck, it may be good to wait it out for another week or two to see if your team can get things turned around.
If you decide to make a trade, don’t be scared to move a good player if you can get help at a position of need in return. You’re already in a tough situation due to the early season record, so now is the time to roll the dice to shake things up.
If the waiver wire is the route you go, then you will need to scour it on a weekly basis in hopes of finding a gem. Last year, players like DeMarco Murray, Victor Cruz and Michael Bush were hot waiver wire pickups during the year, so you could strike lightning in a bottle. However, following last week’s games, there’s not a ton of options that can really help your team.
In my 10-team league this week, Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt, Browns receiver Josh Gordon and Houston tight end Owen Daniels were among the top pickups. And out of the aforementioned players, Britt is the only guy that could actually turn into a fantasy stud the rest of the year.
Britt is a big, physical receiver that can be an impact player. But he must keep his head clean off the field to remain a key cog in the Titans future. Tennessee’s schedule also lightens over the next few games, so Britt might give fantasy owners the boost they are searching for in the coming weeks.
Bye Weeks: Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City, Miami, Philadelphia, San Diego
Let See The Field:
Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay: Cobb, who caught seven passes for 102 yards a week ago, has been a pleasant surprise this season and could be in line for another productive outing. With top wideout Greg Jennings still hobbled, fellow wideout Jordy Nelson is likely to draw Courtland Finnegan, who is one of the league’s better corners and the Rams’ top cover man. With James Jones opposite Nelson, Cobb will likely continue to play in the slot, which is a major emphasis in the Packers passing game.
Felix Jones, RB, Dallas: With starting tailback DeMarco Murray likely out for Sunday’s game against Carolina, Jones becomes the team’s featured back. Last week after Murray went down, Jones looked impressive en route to rushing 18 times for 92 yards and a score. This is a chance for Jones to get back in the running for more carries, so look for the former Arkansas star to make the most of it.
Jay Cutler, QB, Chicago: Cutler has a knack for playing well on big stages and it doesn’t get any bigger during the regular season than Monday night football. Detroit has been vulnerable to good passing teams this season and the Bears one-two punch of Cutler to Brandon Marshall is about as good as it gets in the league. If the weather is clear in Chicago, get Cutler in the lineup.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB, Buffalo: Fitzpatrick has faced San Francisco’s and Arizona’s defenses the last two weeks and if you started him and expected him to post solid numbers you were taking a gamble. Fitzpatrick has also been hurt by injuries to tailbacks Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller and some key offensive linemen, which got the Buffalo offense off track. If your starting QB is on a bye week or if your No. 1 signal-caller has a tough matchup, then Fitzpatrick would be a good start against the Titans.
Kenny Britt, WR, Tennessee: Britt found the end zone last week and could have a big day against a shoddy Bills defense. If you nabbed Britt off the waiver wire this week, you may want to get him active. He could have a big day against the Bills secondary.
Sleeper
Kendall Wright, WR, Tennessee: Wright, the team’s first-round pick out of Baylor, has really come on the last two weeks and could be a key contributor to your fantasy team down the stretch if you need help at receiver. In last week’s win over Pittsburgh, Wright had six catches for 71 yards on eight targets. The week before, he had nine catches for 66 yards on 11 targets. This guy hasn’t really blown up yet, but he’s been solid and his time is coming. This kid can play and he’ll be a fantasy factor soon.
Show The Splinters:
Alex Smith, QB, San Francisco: Smith had a rough go of it last week against the Giants, and he has another tough matchup this week against Seattle. The Seahawks are second in the league in run defense and 13th in pass defense, and the last time these two hooked up it was a low-scoring game. If you have better options, it would be wise to use them.
Baltimore’s Defense: Baltimore lost its emotional leader last week when Ray Lewis went down, plus its top cornerback, Lardarius Webb, is out for the year. If that’s not bad enough, Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata has a sprained right medial collateral ligament, but he is expected to play against Houston. Although the team will likely welcome back Terrell Suggs, the Ravens are currently ranked 26th rush defense and 22nd in pass defense so it would be wise to get them on the bench against the high-powered Texans.
Pittsburgh’s Defense: This matchup recently has been low-scoring, but all signs are pointing to a high-scoring game this week. Although the Steelers are one of the league’s best defense’s statistically, safety Troy Polamalu is out and linebacker LaMarr Woodley is questionable. Cincinnati is a dangerous team offensively, and they have the potential to post solid numbers, so the Steelers D might be better served on the bench this week.
Monitor:
Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans: Graham did not practice Wednesday due to an ankle injury and his status will need to be watched closely. If he is healthy, get him in the lineup. The Tampa Bay linebackers will have a tough time with Graham in the red zone.